


a heart in calloused hands; the Ocean

by aspiringTwiceFan (itotoro)



Series: Fics my beta likes [3]
Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, i eat comments for breakfast lunch and dinner, jihyo a peasant fisherman, sana a mermaid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:27:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25091617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itotoro/pseuds/aspiringTwiceFan
Summary: Jihyo rises with the sun, takes her father's fishing boat out to the sea. The ocean catches her unawareancient Korean mermaid!AU
Relationships: Minatozaki Sana/Park Jisoo | Jihyo
Series: Fics my beta likes [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2045772
Comments: 84
Kudos: 147





	1. I

Since the beginning of time existed the immortal ocean. And from its depths ruled the Sea Dragon King Yongwang. As the Lord of the Ocean, Yongwang scoured its depths, forming life in its womb.

With his might he pulled fire from beneath the ocean, forming it in his mouth. He spat it out, tempered it with the force of his waves, breathed life into the island of Do-i.

The island was a paradise, filled with ripe oranges and sweet-smelling fish. It called the attention of Hwanin, the Lord of Heaven. Finding it pleasing, Hwanin wanted the bounties of Do-i for himself. Thus Hwanin sent his own creation, humans called _saram_ , to live on the island.

Yongwang saw this and raged, jealous of Hwanin's creation and possessive of his bounty. He filled the womb of the ocean with his anger to form the _in-eo_ , part-human and part fish. Through the _in-eo_ he punished the _saram_ , drowning them at sea and taking back what was rightly owned by the Dragon King.

Hwanin, seeing the havoc wreaked upon the island, bargained with Yongwang to spare his creation. They agreed to an exchange: for the bounties of the island, Hwanin would give Yongwang rule over the _saram_ of Do-i.

Thus Yongwang ruled over the _saram_ , taking their sacrifices for himself and teaching them his laws.

#

Jihyo was fourteen when she discovered that the rule of the Ocean was a rule of exchange. The sea that breathed life into her family took the life of her father on a dark afternoon, the tremors of the storm only a glimpse into Yongwang's anger. Fifteen of the town's men were lost that day.

It was at fourteen that Jihyo had to feed her pregnant mother and two younger sisters, that she first learned to swim with other women to the Diving Rock. Jihyo learned of the ocean then -- to hold her breath, open her eyes in the salty water, to use her hands and feet to search the sand for shellfish. That day she returned to her mother in triumph, holding in her small hands a woven basket filled with mussels.

At sixteen, Jihyo learned to rig her father's spare boat. She took with her his weather-worn fishing hooks, hands yet to be calloused by sturdy rope, and ventured into the ocean that took her father's life. That day she returned to her mother and three sisters in triumph, holding in her raw hands a straw sack with five whole fish.

That was how Jihyo lived, rising with the sun, setting out on the ocean. In her hands always were her father's weather-worn hooks. Her hands grew calloused with the years of handling rope, her petite frame grew strong against the battering of the sea winds. And always she returned, to her mother and three sisters, with a straw sack of fish.

#

At eighteen, a lunar month after the memorial day for her father, Jihyo fished.

The shaman had warned her against venturing out further into the sea. After her father's untimely demise the shaman had declared her youngest sister cursed, that Jihyo may also be taken away if she spent too much time in the sea.

Warnings did not fill stomachs, and in the monsoon months the older fishermen flocked to the fishing grounds closer to the shore. Jihyo could not afford to be superstitious.

Her father's boat rocked in the waves of the sea, the air cool and the clouds overcast. There was time before the sun set, but would it be enough to catch more fish? In Jihyo's woven basket lay two small skate and a medium sized pollack, a meager haul. It would suffice for the day. Jieun has been accompanying Jihan to the Diving Rock, catching enough mussels so that their mother can stay at home with Jihyeon.

Jihyo waited, watching the waves. She will try to catch more fish until the sun goes down or the clouds grow dark. She adjusted her legs beneath the middle seat of the boat, searching the ocean surface.

Spotting a shift in the current, Jihyo paddled towards the west. This was the farthest she had fished from the town, so Jihyo prayed to the spirit of her father to keep her safe. A tall rock served as her marker, and she kept close to it, shifting the oars so that the boat stopped beside it. With deft hands, Jihyo tied knots on her father's weather-worn hooks, then tossed them away from the boat. A sardine would do - Jihyo could use it as bait or dry it for soup. She watched as her fishing line sunk into the depths of the ocean.

There was music in the crashing of the waves against the hull of her father's boat, a sound that threatened to lull Jihyo to sleep. If she were near the coast, Jihyo would lay down and close her eyes as she waited for a catch. But she sat alert, mind filled with the stories her mother shared.

Sleeping fishermen fell prey to the _in-eo_ , malevolent children of the ocean. Both human and fish, they lured fishermen with honeyed promises of riches, then drowning them and sending their ships on scraggly rocks.

Her grandfather had once survived such an encounter. Jihyo's mother always warned her of what happened, how her grandfather had panicked as he paddled away from a siren with hair in the color of fire. How she called him by name and told him to jump off the boat. How every bone in his body begged to obey.

Alertness was what protected her grandfather from the charms of the siren. So Jihyo sat alert in her father's boat, listening to the rhythmic thump of the waves against its hull. She wet her hands, running them along the coarse rope of her fishing line. It frayed at her touch, the splinters keeping her awake. She continued this as she waited.

#

Jihyo had caught three sardines before the sun set. The sky had cleared and the wind stilled over the afternoon, the reflection of the sun glowing in a path across the water.

Jihyo fixed her line, securing her catch before heading back to the village. She rubbed at her eyes. The sun had risen early that day, leaving her ragged.

"You seem tired, Jihyo" the voice of a woman coasted along the waves. There was a giggle before it sank beneath the depths.

Jihyo felt heaviness in her shoulders, an ache from steadying the line. She spoke without thought. "I am tired, but I caught six fish today."

"Well done," said the voice, nearer. It murmured over the surface of the sea. "This is my first time seeing a woman so far from the island."

Jihyo turned towards the voice, eyes scanning the ocean. There was a strange shift in the current, unlike any pull of the monsoon winds.

Then, Jihyo saw her. A woman rose from the sea, with long hair in the color of the sunset. She was naked from the waist up, her skin smooth and light, different from the weathered skin of the fisherfolk.

Her eyes, the color of amber, drew Jihyo in with the strength of riptide.

"Am I about to die?" asked Jihyo. Her limbs fell with the weight of a millstone, heart leaping to her throat.

The woman, the _in-eo_ smiled. Her face was small and her nose elegant, her voice light on the wind. "Come to the water, Jihyo."

The waves rocked the boat of her father. Jihyo's hands gripped its edge, stopping herself from jumping overboard. "My mother and sisters are waiting for me."

"Stay awhile," spoke the _in-eo_. "You need not worry so much. Jihyeon is asleep at your mother's bosom, and Jihan and Jieun have yet to return home." Her voice moved through Jihyo's mind like silk, relaxing her grip on the boat's edge.

The woman paused, then stretched her hand out towards Jihyo. "I have gifts for them if you come to the water. A golden comb for your mother and silver toys for your sisters."

Jihyo pulled against the call of the _in-eo_. "That is a lie." She steeled herself, pulse echoing in her eardrums as she strained against the force. "The ocean does not know the word 'gift'. Only exchange." 

The _in-eo_ held Jihyo's gaze, then dropped her hand. At once, Jihyo dropped on herself, chest heaving."You are correct. How odd." The _in-eo_ paused, eyes unblinking. "I will remember you."

She dove into the water, the golden orange of a carp-tail breaking its surface before disappearing into its depths.

Jihyo sat in her father's boat as sensation returned to her limbs. The _in-eo_ had stilled her body with magic, had almost drowned her with it. But she had been spared.

Jihyo grabbed the oars of her boat and paddled to the village.

#

Jihyo laid down on her cot. The air was cool tonight -- even with the doorway blocked by a bamboo frame, the wind seeped through the gaps of the woven reed walls. The blankets have been draped over the sleeping frames of Jihan and Jieun, and a spare cloth wrapped around young Jihyeon's body. Jihyo's mother slept beside them.

The abalone that Jihan had caught boiled well with the sardines, a sumptuous dinner that the younger girls enjoyed. The broth sloshed in Jihyo's stomach hours after, keeping her awake. She stared at the ceiling.

Despite the shut window, Jihyo could hear the waves crashing on the coast. It would have lulled her to sleep, had it not reminded her of her encounter with the _in-eo_. Thoughts entered and left her mind like ebbs on the shore, the shadows and the moonlight filling her imagination. She could not tell her mother, as it might worry her. Worse would be to have to consult the shaman.

Jihyo shifted onto her side. She watched the rise and fall of her mother's and sisters' chests, counting them. Draping an arm over Jieun, she settled, drifting to sleep.

#

_It was a dream, Jihyo knew. And yet, the vastness of the ocean before her is so real, so deep in its darkness and cold. She floats in it, weightless._

_A hand, gentle, touches at her palms.You think too much. It is warm in the coldness. Jihyo opens her eyes, and beside her is the woman -- the in-eo, sunset hair floating in a halo around her. She smiles with kindness._

_You could not fall asleep, says the in-eo, caressing Jihyo's face with her hand, I suppose it is my fault._

_Why did you not drown me? asks Jihyo. The in-eo's eyes shine brightly, ethereal. Her slender torso of flesh becomes fish scales on her carp-tail, shimmering underwater. She is beautiful up close._

_You are unlike the other saram. You know of the ocean and the rule that governs it, the very rule from which I am forged. The in-eo looks at Jihyo's face. You intrigue me._

_Then, the in-eo lets go._

#

Jihyo woke up gasping for air, as if breaking the surface of water.

She sat up from the cot. Beside her, Jieun and Jihyeon lay asleep, curled up in Jihan's arms. Her mother's cot was empty. Jihyo woke up late.

Jihyo stood from her cot, rushing as she wore her outer garments. "Mother!" she called as she removed the bamboo frame from the doorway. Her mother called her from the fire pit, and Jihyo went to her. The burning wood stood out in the early dawn, the sun not a moment above the ocean.

"So you are awake," said Jihyo's mother as she stirred the pot with a wooden rice paddle. "Will you be fishing today?

"Yes," replied Jihyo, "I found a good spot where the fish gather." She smelled the rice. Her mother steamed the pollack on top of it. "How much?"

"The herbalist traded this for your skates and half of Jihan's abalone." Jihyo's mother raised the rice paddle to her mouth, tasting the steaming rice. "Maybe you can rest for today, it seems that the distance tired you."

Jihyo thought of the _in-eo_. "I should head out again, before the old men steal my spot."

"Wait, take this with you," said the mother "your father's favorite". She scooped rice out of the pot, wrapping it in laver, then wrapping it in straw. Jihyo took it in both hands, kissing her mother on the cheek before heading to her father's boat.

#

It was noon when the _in-eo_ found her. By then Jihyo had caught a prized mackerel after a string of sardines. She laid it on the middle seat of the boat, ready to clean it with her boning knife.

"So you came back," sounded the voice of the _in-eo_ against the hull of her father's boat. Jihyo sat up, empty hand reeling in her line. She stayed silent.

The _in-eo_ rose from beneath the waves, collarbone above the surface of the water. Her sunset hair, slick with water, fell behind her shoulders.

Jihyo spoke first. "You were in my dreams last night."

The _in-eo_ grinned, eyes shining. "Pleasant surprise?" She swam closer to the boat, studying it. "This is an old boat."

Jihyo held on to her boning knife. "Why?"

"Jihyo," spoke the _in-eo_ , " had I wanted to harm you, you would have long been in the bottom of the ocean."

The boat lurched as the _in-eo_ hoisted herself inside the boat, knocking over the mackerel with her golden carp-tail. It tipped and fell out of the boat, the mackerel swimming away into the depths of the ocean.

In surprise, Jihyo held her knife between them. The _in-eo_ stared back at her, eyes unblinking. "What are you doing?" demanded Jihyo, pointing the knife at the _in-eo_.

The _in-eo_ waved her hand, and the knife turned into a puddle of water. It dripped through Jihyo's hands.

"And last," said the _in-eo_ to herself as she waved at her golden carp-tail.

Before Jihyo's eyes,the _in-eo's_ golden carp tail transformed into a pair of long, slender legs. The _in-eo_ was no different from a beautiful woman, naked from head to foot. She swept her legs to one side.

"It seems to me that you like what you see," said the _in-eo_ , "will you not join me in the water now?"

"Will that make you happy?" said Jihyo without thought.

The _in-eo_ pondered before replying, "I suppose not." She reached for the _kimbap_ at Jihyo's feet, hair falling over her shoulder as she stooped. "What is this?"

"Can you cover yourself?" asked Jihyo, looking at the water beside her father's boat. Her face flushed with heat. "Use your magic."

The _in-eo_ opened the straw cover of the _kimbap_. "You think too much." Jihyo glanced at the _kimbap_ , to find that the _in-eo_ was unwrapping the rice from the laver. "How tricky, the seaweed sticks to your food." The _in-eo_ smelled the rice and pollack, then bit into it. Bits of rice stuck to her mouth, which she licked away.

Jihyo buried her face in her hands. "Should you even eat that? It has fish."

The _in-eo_ looked up. "What else is there to eat?" She continued to eat the rice and pollack, leaving the laver. After emptying the _kimbap_ , she dipped the laver into the water before placing it in her mouth. She chewed with her mouth open.

"You eat it together," Jihyo tried to explain, "the rice is wrapped in laver so that it will not break apart when you bite it."

The _in-eo_ stared at her. "You humans think too much. And seaweed must always be eaten wet."

Jihyo's eyes flicked between the water and the _in-eo_ , careful to avoid the naked body. The _in-eo_ sat silent, watching her with unblinking eyes.

There was no movement between them, and the sun had moved from its point at the top of the sky. Jihyo still needed to catch fish for her mother and sisters -- the presence of the _in-eo_ would not deter her from doing so.

Jihyo gathered the rope that had scattered around the boat, rolling it into a loop around her shoulder and elbow. With the loose end, she tied a knot onto her father's weather-worn hooks, tossing it into the water. The _in-eo_ continued to watch her.

The silence bore heavy and tense on Jihyo's shoulders, her eyes flitting between the line and the _in-eo_.

It surprised Jihyo to feel a tug on the line, that she almost let go of the rope. Yelling in surprise, Jihyo pulled the rope upwards, hastily alternating her hands on the line to reel in the fish. With one final tug, Jihyo hauled a pollack inside the boat.

The pollack flopped inside the hull of the boat, its scales gleaming in the sun. Jihyo caught it in the basket, the fish struggling inside with dull thuds.

"I want to eat that," said the _in-eo_. "It smells delicious."

"You ate my breakfast," replied Jihyo, "and we cannot eat it now. I have no way to kill it and clean it, as you," Jihyo struggled with the words, "used magic to make my knife into a puddle of water."

The _in-eo_ thought for a moment as she stared at the basket. "I will give you a new knife in exchange for the pollack."

"What about my _kimbap_?" asked Jihyo. "You ate my _kimbap_. I want to eat this pollack as well." She gestured to the water at her feet, eyes meeting the gaze of the _in-eo_. "And the new knife will only be a fitting exchange for the one you made into water."

The _in-eo_ hummed in amusement. "You are skilled with your bargain." She reached over the edge of the boat, hand dipping in the water. Her long hair fell over her shoulders. "This knife should be enough for the pollack as well."

She lifted her hand from the water, pulling from it a silver boning knife. It glistened like water in the sunlight, a blade sharp enough to cut even the toughest-skinned fish. Jihyo readily took it from the _in-eo_ , studying the weight of the blade. It fit well in her small hands.

"This will match only the knife and the _kimbap_." Jihyo eyed the _in-eo_ , then took the pollack out of the basket. The _in-eo_ did not respond, only watching as Jihyo held the pollack. She rested it on the middle seat of the boat before slicing its head with the boning knife.

Jihyo worked in silence, _the in-eo_ 's eyes watching as she sliced the tender meat off the fish. Throwing the bone into the ocean, Jihyo then gestured to the raw fish. "Have some."

The _in-eo_ paused, then took a slice of the fish and took it whole in her mouth. She chewed on the piece. "It does taste better without the bone and innards."

"Want some more?" offered Jihyo, keeping her eyes on the boned fish.

The _in-eo_ obliged, taking another slice. Jihyo took one as well, savoring the sweet freshness of the pollack. They continued, the _in-eo_ taking one slice after Jihyo took one, eating until the fish ran out. It sated Jihyo's hunger.

"That was delicious, Jihyo." The _in-eo_ adjusted her seating, the boat rocking with the movement. "What can I give you in return?"

Jihyo responded. "I did not think of that."

It elicited a giggle from the _in-eo_ , melodic as bells in the wind. "My name is Sana. Let that be our exchange."

She left Jihyo after that, the setting sun shining on her golden carp-tail as she swam away.

#

Jihyo dreamt again that night.

_Empty waters surround her dark and distant. Jihyo knows that it is a dream -- the emptiness of the sea and its stillness did not surprise her, does not frighten her. She takes a deep breath underwater, dream lungs taking in dream water, inhale and exhale._

_Sana comes into view. You took your time in sleeping, Jihyo. Afraid to see me? she asks. Her hair glows in the darkness, in the color of fire. She touches Jihyo's palms, then entwines their hands together. You look lovely submerged, she says._

_Jihyo almost lets go, disentangling her hand from the in- eo's grasp. But she is curious about Sana. How long have you been alive? asks Jihyo. My grandfather once met one of the in-eo before, one with hair in the color of fire. Could it be you?_

_Oh, says Sana, perhaps? His name was Jinoh, was it not?_

_Yes, replies Jihyo. My mother told me of the in-eo who called to him, who told him to jump off his boat. Jihyo's hands, calloused and rough, fits in Sana's smooth and soft ones. Is it true that you kill my kind? Casting magic to fool us and drown us?_

_It is only right, says the in-eo. Your kind has stolen so much from the bounties of Yongwang after all. Despite the harshness of her sentiment, Sana's eyes sparkle with a curious fondness. Do you not agree?_

_Not all of us are as you say. Jihyo is tentative as she speaks. To live, we must eat. To eat, we must catch fish. Is it selfish that we do so to survive?_

_Sana smiles in silence. If only that were true, Jihyo. But your lot is greedy. The smile tightens at the edges, a grimace. We were made by Yongwang to rein that in. To drown you at sea in exchange for what you have stolen from its bounty._

_Sana disentangles her hand from Jihyo's, and she swims away._


	2. II

#

Jihyo sat in the boat of her father, watching the steady movement of the water's surface. She guided the fishing line towards the boat, letting it drift to the right on the ocean current. Her empty basket of fish sat on the middle seat of the boat together with two rolls of _kimbap_ wrapped in straw, sitting atop a spare blanket that she brought to sea on a whim.

She had not slept after the dream, instead spending the time before sunrise preparing for the sea. While her sisters slept, she and her mother cooked, exchanging stories of the previous days. Jihan had caught another abalone by the Diving Rock, to the envy of the older women and the chastisement of the shaman. Instead of cooking it they had traded it for cloth and twine in the evening market.

Jihyo stared at the spare roll of _kimbap_ , the feeling of a stone sitting in her stomach. There was a chance that the _in-eo_ would not appear today -- and if she did, there was a chance that she would not stay for a while. But it was better to err on the side of caution when it came to the gods and their servants.

A glimpse of gold peeked above the surface of the water, catching the light of the morning sun. Jihyo reeled her empty line, rolling it and folding it neatly by her feet. She waited.

The _in-eo_ rose out of the water, sun gleaming on her wet skin and hair, eyes bright and curious. "You expect me."

Jihyo swallowed the spit in her mouth. "I am here to fish, as always." She moved as Sana approached the boat, the _in-eo's_ hands holding on to its edge as she hoisted herself inside once more. This time Jihyo steadied the boat, keeping the basket from falling into the water with her thighs as she held the boat with her hands. She looked away as Sana settled into the other side of the boat. Her tail transformed into legs, long enough to reach Jihyo's feet underneath the middle seat. Jihyo jolted at the touch.

"Here," said Jihyo, "wear this." She took the blanket from beneath the _kimbap_ and tossed it in Sana's direction. It landed on the _in-eo_ 's lap.

"What is this?" Sana picked up the cloth, unfurling it. "This does not look like food." Sana looked at Jihyo and hummed, then pulled the cloth over her naked body. "How thorough."

Jihyo turned to Sana, looking at her up and down. The blanket was long enough to cover Sana from her collarbone to her shins. "I could not speak to you unless you covered yourself." She adjusted her seating, face flushed. "But I do need to speak to you."

Sana watched as Jihyo unwrapped one of the _kimbap_. "You are right, I suppose. Your mind is clearer now that it is not filled with thoughts of my skin."

Jihyo fumbled with the _kimbap_ , almost dropping it into the hull of the boat. She steadied it onto the straw before presenting it to Sana, head bowed.

"I wish to continue fishing in these waters, if you would allow me." Jihyo stared at her empty basket of fish, at her salt-crusted feet on the hull of the boat. "What can I give you to assure my safety in these waters?"

In silence, Sana took the _kimbap_ from Jihyo's hands. "This is a first." She rested the straw on her lap, opening the _kimbap_ by its seaweed. "Will you sacrifice one of your sisters to the sea?"

Jihyo's blood stilled.

"I see, it is not an option." Sana picked at the inside of the _kimbap_ with delicate fingers, forming a small portion of the rice into a sticky ball. She placed it inside her mouth, swallowing it whole.

"Is there no other option?" asked Jihyo.

Sana took some more rice, playing with it before rolling it into another ball. "You of all people should know. You can only take from the ocean as much as you are willing to lose to it." She took the ball of rice into her mouth, this time chewing it first before swallowing. She made a face. "So sticky and plain. Is there no fish inside this?"

Jihyo sat on her side of the boat, silent. She could not stop going out to sea, her mother and sisters relied on her to bring them fish. Was she doomed to risk her life each time? There must be another way.

"Perhaps," said the _in-eo_ as she took one final ball of rice into her mouth, "I can give you another option." She took the laver, once more dipping it into the ocean before swallowing it whole. She licked the seawater off her lips. "For every time you fish, you must return to the sea the best of your catch. You must always fish alone, and I will watch you as you fish."

Upon hearing her words, Jihyo's shoulders relaxed. "Thank you, Sana." She rubbed her hands together, letting the dried flecks of salt fall from her hands, then took her father's fishing hooks from the hull of the boat. She tossed the line into the sea in a rush of celebratory energy.

Sana looked back at her with eyes unblinking. "How odd."

"Why?" asked Jihyo. With quick tugs, she maneuvered the fishing line, letting it catch onto a deep current of the ocean. Her stomach grumbled. She was relieved enough to eat. She took the remaining _kimbap_ from the middle seat of the boat, unwrapping it and taking a bite.

"You do not wish to exploit me." Sana stared at Jihyo, eyes flitting to the _kimbap_. She licked her lips. "Neither are you angry at me."

Jihyo felt a tug at her line. Placing the _kimbap_ down, she pulled at the line with her steady hands. On the hook was a sardine, smaller than her palm. Too young. Gently, she pried it off the hook, sliding it into the water. It swam away. "Why will I be angry? Your duty is to guard the bounties of Yongwang." She dropped the line into the water once more, watching it sink deeper into the ocean. "My duty is to feed my mother and sisters. This much is enough." She picked up the _kimbap_ to eat.

Jihyo turned to Sana, meeting her gaze. The _in-eo_ 's eyes shined with intensity, the expression of her face unreadable. Her eyes flicked to the _kimbap_ in Jihyo's hands.

"Take it," said Jihyo, offering it to Sana.

Sana eyed her, then snatched the _kimbap_ from her hands. "There is magic in this food," she said, opening it and biting into the rice inside. "It tastes so bland yet I crave it."

"Of course," said Jihyo, "my mother made it. My sisters enjoy it as much as you do."

Sana finished the rice, eyes flicking to Jihyo before nibbling on the dry laver.

"I will bring more tomorrow, if you want." Jihyo tugged at the line to see if a fish had bitten.

"In exchange for what?" asked the _in-eo._ She munched on the laver, finishing it. "You have nothing on your mind again. How odd."

"Well, in exchange," Jihyo paused, then spoke "can you blink?"

Sana stared at her, eyes unblinking. Then she blinked.

Jihyo smiled. "That should be enough."

#

Sana had stayed until sunset.

Throughout the day, Jihyo had caught six fish, the biggest of which was a pollack the size of her forearm. She returned it to the water without complaint, and the _in-eo_ swam away after.

Jihyo rowed towards the village, hand steady on the oars of her boat. The monsoons were arriving late this season. The boat of her father glided over the water, its sound over the sea soothing and familiar.

There was a light melody coming from the distance. It traveled on the waves, lifting into the air with every push of water against the boat. Jihyo strained her ears to listen.

_Rice balls, rice rolls, sticky white thing_   
_taste quite delicious, inspire me to sing_

It was a song, a pleasant melody to the rhythm of the sea, unlike the music of the village. It caught the crests of the waves, sank with its troughs, murmured in the foam of the water. Jihyo chuckled to herself as she continued to row.

#

It went on as time passed. Sana visited Jihyo in her dreams, and watched her as she fished. She would stay in the water to watch Jihyo from afar, waiting until Jihyo brought out a roll of _kimbap_.

Sana sat on the boat, body covered in the blanket Jihyo had started keeping inside the boat. She stared at the _kimbap_ in Jihyo's hands with intensity.

"It is another empty roll today" said Jihyo as she handed Sana the _kimbap_. The shaman had asked for more sacrifices to the temple, in preparation for the storms to come. Jihyo's mother had offered up all the fish she caught from the day before as they had enough abalone and rice to last the day.

Sana took the _kimbap_ from Jihyo's hands, placing it on her lap and unfurling it from the straw. Immediately she opened the laver to shape the rice inside it.

Sana stopped shaping the rice, making a face. "Stripping the meat off the bone of the fish is much more pleasant than eating it with the bones and innards." She sighed, picking up the rice once more. "But it is difficult to do so underwater." Sana formed rice into a small ball, eating it.

Jihyo watched Sana's face, then took a small pollack from the basket. "Wait first." She laid the fish on the middle seat of the boat, taking Sana's boning knife. With quick cuts she separated half of the meat from the fish, laying it out before returning the fish into the basket. She sliced the pollack into small strips, thin enough to roll into a _kimbap_.

Sana's face lit up in anticipation. Hesitant, she took a strip of meat from the middle seat, then rolled it inside some rice. She took it into her mouth, eyes sparkling with delight.

"It is so much better!" she exclaimed. She took another strip of pollack, dropping it into her mouth.

Jihyo joined her in eating the pollack, savoring its sweet meat. She took another strip, rinsing it in the ocean before taking it in her mouth.

"Where is your _kimbap_?" asked Sana.

"I have none. But it is fine," said Jihyo as she chewed, "I ate some before coming to the sea."

Sana stared at Jihyo. "Your last meal was a pot of abalone from the previous night."

Jihyo raised her hands in surrender. "Not wrong."

Sana opened her mouth to speak, but closed it. Instead, she took some pollack to roll in the rice, ripping off a piece of laver to wrap the ball in. She offered it to Jihyo. "In exchange for feeding me," said Sana, "and for the sliced pollack."

Jihyo would have refused had her stomach not rumble. It gurgled loud enough to reach her ears. She reached out to take the small ball of rice, laver, and pollack. "Thank you, Sana."

Sana did not respond, staring at her hands as Jihyo ate.


	3. III

#

"Your sisters," asked Sana one afternoon as she swam beside the boat, "what are they like?" The clouds foretold evening rain, but Jihyo had filled her basket halfway with fish. She would finish early today, she should visit the market and trade the fish away. The mackerel sitting on top of the other fish in the basket wriggled. Perhaps it knew that it was meant to return to the sea.

"Jihan, she is strong for her age." Jihyo demonstrated with a clenched fist and puffed cheeks. "She is only fourteen, yet she can catch an abalone with her bare hands."

She took a sardine and an anchovy from her basket, raising them in the air. "Jieun is responsible, she watches over Jihyeon when our mother cooks for us." Jihyo let the anchovy swim towards the sardine, miming its sound with her voice. The sardine trembled, almost flicking out of her grasp. She caught it in time, then returned the fish to the basket.

"You catch fish for them, feeding them and your mother." Sana leaned backwards, floating on her back. "Your mother birthed you, that, I understand. But what have your sisters done for you to feed them?"

"Do you not have sisters?" asked Jihyo. Her eyes glanced over Sana's body before moving to the horizon. Had the sea always looked so vast?

"I have sisters, yes. But I do not see them." Sana's tail flicked, catching water and splashing it in an arc. "We do not need each other for anything, thus we do not bother with each other. What do you owe to your sisters?"

"Must I owe them something to want to feed them?" Jihyo fastened a piece of bait onto her father's fishing hooks, then dropped her line into the water. "I want them to stay healthy and happy because they are my sisters."

Sana sank into the water, then rose up to her shoulders. She stared towards the horizon, amber eyes in deep thought. "Perhaps that is reason enough."

#

_Jihyo's dream begins to the sound of a song. It floats, as she does, in the vast underwater._

_the Ocean formed me , I had begun  
from sea foam in the setting sun.  
Great father Yongwang, god of the sea  
entrusted a holy duty to me_

_Jihyo sees a glow, like fire, off in the distance. She swims towards the light, legs heavy as she paddled in the dream ocean._

_For eons past had i believed  
That the surface was a den of greed  
then came a woman who was in need  
with sticky rice and fish she feeds_

_Jihyo finds Sana drifting in the water, eyes closed. She sings to herself._

_I have drowned a hundred fishermen  
in Yongwang's holy name,  
but you I spare time and again  
something I cannot explain_

_Jihyo nears, and Sana opens her eyes. She turns to Jihyo, her clear voice ringing through the water._

_Perhaps because your heart is pure  
Your duty you fulfill  
With calloused hands and gentle smile  
You strip me of my father's will_

#

"I heard your voice over the waters the other day," said Jihyo as she threw her father's hooks into the water. She guided the line, then left it to drift. "You also sang in my dreams."

Sana sat on the other end of the boat, hands picking through the rice of a _kimbap_. She tore a piece of the laver, forming a small ball with the rice and sardine before placing it in her mouth. "What of it?" she asked while chewing.

"It was entrancing." Jihyo stretched her arms towards the sky, hands clasped together. Her shoulders had become stiff with use. "The music we play at the village compares to it like an anchovy to a mackerel."

Sana stared at Jihyo. Then she sang.

Lilting notes of a haunting melody flowed with the sea breeze. It pulled at every corner of Jihyo's mind, trapping her attention. The muscles of her shoulders loosened, her hands dropping to her sides. Her eyes remained transfixed on Sana.

Sana's hair glowed radiant in the morning sun. Her eyes closed, mouth open as she sang a song that was not made for mortal ears. Jihyo's heart surged in her chest. The sinews of her limbs called to Sana, demanded to be close.

Sana stopped, abrupt as a boat slamming into scraggly rocks. It snapped Jihyo into focus.

"What was that?" she asked, shaken. Her palms sweat, a visible sheen on her skin.

"It was a song of magic," said Sana, "that is all."

"I felt this strong desire," said Jihyo, hand unsure over her chest. "Did you feel it?"

Sana's fingers played with the rice of her _kimbap_. "Of course. It is my song." She stopped, then looked up at Jihyo. "Do you know what it means?"

Jihyo stared back at her, waiting. "The song," said Sana, "is of a woman who sat in her father's boat catching fish for her mother and sisters."

#

_Jihyo is underwater once more. It is a sensation she relaxes into, after enough dreams with Sana. She floats, waiting for Sana to come to her._

_Sana comes in soft golden, bright against the darkness of the ocean. Her hair trails behind her as she approaches Jihyo. She nears, yet she keeps her distance._

_Jihyo's mind is empty, relaxed. She reaches a hand out to Sana. She wants to reach her._

_Sana drifts towards Jihyo, silent as she takes her hand._

#

It was a cloudless day, the wind still and the noontime sun hot on Jihyo's skin. The light shining on the surface of the water blinded her tired eyes.

Sana floated on the water, eyes closed and arms outstretched. "No wonder your skin is such a lovely color," she said as her carp-tail swished in the water, "to have this sun all your life."

"It is too much sometimes," replied Jihyo as she tied a knot on her father's fishing hooks. Baiting it, she threw it off to the side, wiping her sweaty brow once it landed in the water. The seawater had dried off her skin, leaving the grainy texture of salt on her hand, coarse and rough everywhere. "Is that why you keep returning?"

"I do like the sun on my skin, the brightness," said Sana, "the only light in the ocean is the light of Yongwang's temple." She groaned, airy, splashing her hand on the water beside her. "And the light is so pale compared to this sun."

Jihyo watched as Sana stretched herself across the water. She tugged on the rope of her fishing line. "My father told me of the land from which the sun rose." Feeling a heavy tug, she pulled. "If you swim towards the sun, perhaps you can find it. Il-bon, the land of the sun." With a quick thrust, Jihyo pulled the line out of the water, bringing her catch into the boat. It was a long skate, which the herbalist would trade for a day's worth of rice.

Sana hummed. "Would you like to come and see it? Maybe if it were that place, I would enjoy living as you _saram_ do, away from the water."

"One day, perhaps," replied Jihyo, "when my sisters are old enough to care for my mother."

#

Jihyo sat in her cot, leaning on the woven walls as she twined rope into a fishing line. There was a storm in the early morning that had yet to fall - Jihyo's mother forbade them from leaving. Instead Jihyo stayed at home, watching as her sisters occupied themselves with games. A woven box sat as a boundary between their space for sleeping and their space for eating.

Their home was small, but her father had built it when he took her mother as his wife. The ropes that pulled the reeds together were tied by his hands, the bamboo fixed with his effort. There was enough space where they slept for another cot, but the cot had been buried for years.

Jihyo twisted the rope in her hands, smoothing out the stray strands. Jihan was outside with their mother, cooking dinner by the fire pit before the rain came. In preparation was a porridge of dried sardine and what was left of the rice from the day before. Jieun and Jihyeon played by the doorway, the bamboo floor creaking as they scuffled. Tonight was a game of pretend -- Jieun was a monstrous _in-eo_ and Jihyeon the shaman trying to catch her.

The shaman had foretold the storm as a sign of Yongwang's anger. More rituals were needed, bigger sacrifices to the temple. Jihyo's mother had told her to present a mackerel to the temple as soon as she caught one. Luckily, mackerel had been scarce.

The air was cool and the sky dark through the window of their tiny home, and Jihyo saw the rain fall on the furthest part of the ocean. She thought of Sana.

A song rose and fell along the waves, crashing on the shore. _Jihyo_ , it went, _eyes strong and bright, jewel of the sea_.

"Did you hear that?" asked Jieun, as she hoisted Jihyeon onto her shoulders. "There is a melody coming from the ocean."

"A song," said Jihyo. She strained her ears. _Jihyo, sweet fish in hand, come and feed your Sana dear_. "It is not a well made song."

"I hear only music," said Jieun, walking to Jihyo. _Small Jihyo, gentle smile, over which I am obsessed._ She set Jihyeon down and sat beside her on the cot. "What is the song about, eonni?

 _Strong Jihyo, calloused hands, touch the swell of my--"_ A song of Yongwang's strong hands that formed the island of Do-i" replied Jihyo, face flushed.

#

_Jihyo opens her eyes to the familiar depth of the ocean -- Sana takes her hand readily, pulling her further in. This time, Sana's golden carp-tail is a pair of slender legs, clumsy as they paddle. But this is a dream, and they swim with ease._

_Why are you not using your tail? asks Jihyo. The water is cool as it cradles her body, enters her lungs and exits._

_Sana turns to her with a sheepish smile. I wanted to try swimming the way you do._

_But this is a dream, says Jihyo, does it matter?_

_Does it matter? repeats Sana, enjoying the way her legs move. Her body is slender, the curves strong and skin supple. Jihyo looks away._

_Why not look at my body, Jihyo? asks Sana. It is just a dream, after all._

_Swim with legs all you want, replies Jihyo._

#

"Is Yongwang your father?" Jihyo had caught a second king mackerel, and was boning it with Sana's knife. It was a fair day to eat, and better to eat than to offer as a sacrifice to the shaman.

Sana sat by the bow of the boat, already draped in Jihyo's spare blanket. She had placed it over herself without being asked to do so.

Jihyo sliced off half of the mackerel, placing the rest in her basket to take home to the family. She then cut the meat into edible parts.

"You can say that of everyone," said Sana, eyes scanning the ocean. Her nose was strong, foreign in shape. No mortal had her nose, eyes, or lips. "Yongwang's breath of life inhabits us all, but we _in-eo_ are children of the ocean. You _saram_ are children of Hwanin."

"I am my father's daughter," replied Jihyo without thought.

Sana turned to her, the light of the sun cradling her face. Her hair had dried, falling over her shoulders in long tresses. "Tell me of your father, Jihyo."

"He is dead," she replied.

"That is not all there is to him, is it?" Sana moved her foot, sliding it over the hull of the boat until it touched Jihyo's own foot beneath the middle seat. "I want to know more about him, Jihyo."

Jihyo offered one slice of soft mackerel, which Sana took and ate. "He was strong, hoisting me on his shoulders in a single swoop of his arms. He carried me and my two sisters and ran across the shoreline." Jihyo took one mackerel and ate it, letting its rich flavor melt on her tongue. "This mackerel, he always ate half of it at sea, and the other half he would cook for my mother. I once believed that mackerels swam as half bone, half body."

"Lovely," said Sana as she took another slice of mackerel. She savored it as she chewed.

"I wish he were here," said Jihyo. Her tears caught the salt on her skin. "This mackerel is fresh."

"You miss him," said Sana. "You miss him so much."

#

The day had passed like the sea breeze, the afternoon already at hand. Jihyo's basket filled with an assortment of fish, and her spirits lifted high.

"There is a game," said Jihyo, "that I would play with my father, by the seashore. When I was once afraid of the ocean."

Sana looked up at Jihyo from the water beside the boat.

Jihyo bit her lip. "Nevermind."

"Tell me," said Sana.

Jihyo spoke as she reeled in the empty line, fingers brushing over the frayed strands of the rope. "My father would pretend to be a dolphin. I would wrap my arms around his shoulders and he would dip me in the water. As if we were swimming across the shore." She rolled the line over her elbow and shoulder, then dropped it in the hull of the boat.

Jihyo met eyes with Sana. "My sisters did not have that."

Sana stared back, amber eyes focused on Jihyo's face. Then she reached out a hand from beneath the waves. "Come into the water with me."

Jihyo looked at Sana's hand, at her eyes. "But I will wet my clothes."

Sana paused, watching Jihyo. Then a giggle escaped her chest, like the rising of bubbles. "I have magic, silly _saram_. You think too much, but in the wrong places." Her hand remained outstretched, the water on it gleaming in the afternoon sun.

Jihyo held on to the edge of her father's boat. "What of catching fish? And my boat may drift away."

Sana smiled wider, warmer than sunlight. "Take my hand, Jihyo." There was no magic in her words, no compelling pull.

Yet Jihyo reached out and took her hand. She held her breath.

In a flash, Sana pulled her underwater.

A moment of panic seized Jihyo, but it left her when they breached the surface. Jihyo took a deep breath, paddling her legs to remain afloat. Her clothes dragged heavy in the water. Sana's hand was firm and warm in her own as she oriented herself.

She and Sana were face to face. Sana's wet hair clung to her neck and collarbone, falling over her shoulders before floating on the water. Up close her skin was porcelain in smoothness, eyes bright and captivating.

"You like what you see," said Sana, "but first, put your arms around me." Sana turned, moving Jihyo's hand to anchor on her bare shoulder.

Jihyo fought the blush that crept to her cheeks. Tentative, she wrapped her arms around Sana's shoulders, her chest pressing into Sana's back. She tried not to think of the smoothness of Sana's skin, and mumbled a quick prayer to her father for safety.

Sana dived into the water with Jihyo in tow. She swam in quick bursts, following the crests of the ocean. Jihyo would hold her breath as Sana pulled her along, gulping in air when they rose above the waves.

Deep below them Jihyo spotted schools of fish, swimming in a frenzy. The fish moved through the colorful corals and anemone that decorated the sea floor. What little light filtered through the water guided Jihyo's eyes to strange creatures, crawling sea dwellers and a rare sea turtle. If only her father could see all this.

Any moment Jihyo felt the need to breathe, Sana rushed to the surface, breaching it momentarily before diving again. But Jihyo had dived at an early age, knew how to extend the breath in her lungs long enough to enjoy it. Her arms were secure around Sana's shoulders and they swam as if they were soaring through the skies.

They returned to the boat at sunset. The sun's golden rays fell onto the water, catching in Sana's hair. Jihyo held on, arms wrapped tightly around Sana's, heart barreling in her chest. Relief crashed upon her in waves.

Sana spoke. "How was it?" She did not move, letting Jihyo hold on. Her skin was smooth where they touched, shoulders strong.

"Thank you, Sana." Tired, Jihyo rested her head on Sana's shoulders, smelling the scent of the ocean. "I enjoyed this."

Sana stayed silent, hand smoothing over Jihyo's arms.

#

"What can I give you?" asked Sana one afternoon.

Jihyo had just woken up from a nap in her father's boat. The weather was perfect, clouds that brought with it no storm and a gentle, saltless breeze straight from heaven. Sana had promised to wake her should any fish bite the line. No such fish came, but there was still time before the sun set.

Sana spoke again. "What can I give you, Jihyo?" She watched as Jihyo sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"What is there to ask for?" asked Jihyo.

Sana paused, eyes downcast. "I do not know." She looked up, meeting Jihyo's gaze. "But I know that I want you."

"What do you mean?" asked Jihyo.

Sana swished her carp-tail, swimming to where Jihyo sat in the boat. Jihyo moved to face her, hands on the edge of the boat. "Your heart, you have given it to your mother and your sisters." said Sana, wet hands touching Jihyo's on the edge of the boat. She met Jihyo's gaze. "I want it. But there is no way for me to exchange anything for it."

Jihyo's eyes fell on Sana's hands beside hers. They trembled at the proximity. "Sana," she began, but she closed her mouth. Thoughts filled her head, of both Sana and her mother.

She stayed silent, and Sana understood. The _in-eo_ let go of Jihyo's hands, disappearing into the water.


	4. IV

#

Jihyo had not seen Sana since. Not in her dreams, not at sea. Days have passed.

Jihyo tucked her basket of fish in between her legs, then placed Sana's blanket on top of it. A storm was coming early in the afternoon. She promised her mother that she would come home before noon to avoid it. The water was calm and the wind still, but dark clouds crept over the horizon. She took the paddles of her father's boat, making her way back to the village.

There was a commotion outside her home when she returned, the older women crowding around the doorway. Young children climbed on each other, trying to peer through the window on the side of their home. Quickly, Jihyo pulled her boat to the shoreline, running with the blanket and the basket of fish.

Jihyo pushed through the crowd of women, catching murmurs as she made her way through. "It was a curse." "The shaman was right." "She always caught too much abalone."

Inside was the shaman, kneeling beside the prone figure of Jihan on a cot. The old hag was dressed in ritual wear, bright red robes with the golden embroidery of dragons. Her wrinkled hand shook a tiny bell, waving it from Jihan's head to her feet. Across her, kneeling, was Jihyo's mother.

Jihyo set her basket down by the doorway, rushing to the side of her mother. "Where are my sisters?"

"They are with the herbalist," replied her mother. She touched a hand to Jihyo's face, then motioned for her to kneel beside her. They faced the shaman.

"Your sister has caught more abalone than her life is worth," said the shaman, her voice scraggly and deep. Paint decorated the sagging skin of her face in white and gold. "Yongwang is punishing her, as he punished your father. The storm coming is a sign of his anger."

The shaman turned to Jihyo's mother, the corners of her lips in a wrinkled grimace. "You should have thrown your cursed daughter into the sea when she was born. Now you will lose Jihan in her stead."

Jihyo grit her teeth, clasping Jihan's hand in her own. Her sister's hand shook, cold and damp. Jihan's eyes shut tight and she winced from an invisible pain.

"What can be done, holy shaman?" asked Jihyo's mother, hands clasped over her knees.

The shaman looked at Jihan, pensive. "Yongwang has yet to respond to my prayers." The shaman shook the bell once more, waving it over Jihan's body. It rang in a piercing noise. "You must offer up sacrifices to the temple, begging Yongwang to cure your daughter."

The shaman pushed herself up off the floor, groaning as her back stooped with age. "Five baskets of fish will be enough."

The old hag left their home, the crowd in a commotion as they followed behind her. Jihyo stood to pull the bamboo frame onto the doorway, chasing away the children who peered through the window.

Her mother buried her face in her hands, chest heaving with sobs. Jihan reached for her, hands shaking as she tried to comfort their mother. Her chest heaved with effort.

"Mother," said Jihyo as she knelt beside her again. "Jihan," she said, rubbing the arm of her sister. "I will cure you."

Jihan met her eyes, hopeful. She struggled to stay awake.

Jihyo kissed the hands of her mother, then left, running to her boat.

#

The storm had come, but Jihyo paid no heed. Hastily she rowed, hands gripping the paddles of her boat as she pulled through the waves. The sky rumbled, rain falling on her shoulders as the boat surged forward. It grew, bearing down on her body cold and harsh as she wiped her face with her elbows. It drummed inside the hull of the boat, threatening to fill it.

She kept her eyes open through the harsh winds, searching for any glimpse of the _in-eo_. "Sana!" she shouted amidst the storm, her voice catching in the wind. She shouted again, "Sana!"

Her heart barreled in her chest. She had been rash, angry at the shaman for speaking ill towards her sisters, desperate to cure Jihan and ease the anguish of her mother. But here she was in the midst of the ocean that could take her life the way it took her father's.

The waves slammed against the hull of the boat as Jihyo rowed towards her rock marker. She fought against the current, muscles tense with effort as she bodied the oar to her will. Drenched in the rain, one of the oars slipped from her hands.

"Sana!" Jihyo begged to the rain and the sky. The boat rocked with the waves, water sloshing into the boat. It began to sink. Jihyo cupped her hands, pulling water out of the boat. It was futile in the face of the storm.

A thunderclap flashed in the heavy sky, blinding Jihyo before an upward surge tipped her father's boat. The sharp snapping of wood, Jihyo's foot slipped through the crack of the boat, skin snagging onto jagged edges. In adrenaline she pulled her foot out, the gash in her shin stinging as saltwater mixed with blood. Jihyo screamed in panic before a final wave swallowed the boat.

#

The _in-eo_ were children of Yongwang, exacting his authority on those who displeased him. Written in their blood was the rule of the Ocean, the very same rule that formed the sinews of their muscles and the breath in their lungs.

Yet, outside of Yongwang's knowledge, the Ocean had woven in them a secret as she formed them in her womb. She had fallen in love with Hwanin, and by extension his creation the _saram._ Out of love, she gave them a gift, to bestow upon a mortal of their choosing.

This was the gift Sana bestowed upon Jihyo as she sank deeper into the ocean. Sana had found her, sensing Jihyo's panic amidst the storm, and caught her from behind. Jihyo's thoughts had ceased then, the moment she knew that Sana had caught her, settling with Sana's name at the tip of her tongue before the frigid waters brought her to sleep.

Sana then bestowed her gift on Jihyo's lips as she breathed her life into the mortal of her choosing.

#

Jihyo gasped, then held her breath. She was underwater.

Sana was underwater with her, sunset hair floating in a halo behind her. The _in-eo_ 's hands grasped her wrists, keeping her close.

From the corner of Jihyo's vision, sinking, was the remains of her father's boat. Its worn hull had been split into two by the ocean, silhouette lit by what little light filtered from the sky. It was beyond repair.

 _Breathe, Jihyo_ , Sana said as she held a hand over Jihyo's heart. She met Jihyo's gaze.

Jihyo exhaled, the pressure in her chest unbearable. No bubbles left her mouth -- instead a cold sensation moved in her lungs. Before panic could seize her Sana tightened her grip on Jihyo's wrists. _Jihyo, you can breathe._

 _Is this a dream?_ Jihyo eased herself into the coldness of the water as it moved, inside her chest then out. One of the first lessons her father had taught her was to hold her breath when submerged, yet here she was, breathing through water, breathing underwater. As she calmed, she felt the stinging of the gash on her shin return.

 _Why are you here?_ asked Sana, _why did you look for me?_ Her tender hands found their way to Jihyo's waist, settling on her hips. Sana swished her tail, and they drifted through the water. _Your sister, she is sick._

 _You did not return,_ said Jihyo, _did you not want to see me anymore?_ Jihyo's eyes did not sting in the salt water. She blinked as they adjusted to the darkness. _How am I able to see? To breathe?_

 _You think too much,_ said Sana, _but I rather this than for you to stop thinking altogether._ She pulled Jihyo along, the two of them drifting in the vast underwater. They moved through a school of anchovies, the fish moving to their left and right to avoid them. _I know how to help you._

 _You saved me,_ said Jihyo. _And you are saving my sister. How can I repay you?_

 _It was a gift._ Sana looked at Jihyo, hand on her wrist. She pulled them forward with a thump of her tail.

#

They swam towards an ethereal light on the ocean floor, its pale yellow casting shadows on the sand underneath. It grew in size as they approached it. It was a fixture of a gate, standing alone in the darkness.

 _This is the temple of Yongwang, the Sea Dragon King._ Sana brought Jihyo closer, hand clasped tightly on her wrist. _He will cure your sister, for a fair exchange._

The gate of the temple stood high above the sand. It glowed as they floated before it, a stone path leading into nothing.

 _There is air inside this temple._ Sana turned towards Jihyo, holding her hands. _Yongwang is a just god. You must be ready to lose as much as you wish to gain from him._

Jihyo steadied herself against the feeling of Sana’s hands entwined in hers. _I am ready_ , she said.

#

Jihyo's feet landed on the sand of the courtyard. From nothingness came into view a complex of temples, walled inside stone. The sky was dark as the ocean, with only the pale glow of the fixtures illuminating the area. It was silent.

Sana stepped beside her, glowing in the color of the sunset. Jihyo watched as magic wove itself into the rich red of royal garments over her skin, her hair weaving itself into a braid. Shells and pearls bloomed as decoration over her hair.

With a wave of her hand, Sana dried Jihyo's clothing and hair, the water collecting itself into a drop before dispersing into the air.

"You could have covered yourself on the boat," said Jihyo. The gash on her leg burned with heat in the open air. Jihyo seethed, willing herself to conquer the pain.

Sana looked at her, eyes searching, the corners of her lips tight. She turned away, walking towards the main temple.

Jihyo followed behind her, the rough texture of the sand beneath her feet. Sana, though stepping on the same sand, walked without footprints. The sand did not stick to the feet of the _in-eo_ , after all. Their shadows moved in the pale light.

They entered the heavenly gate. The soft pads of Jihyo's feet stood out in the silence as they climbed up the stone steps to the main temple. Lanterns floated on their left and right, shining with the pale glow. There was no warmth in the light.

Sana turned to Jihyo, stretching out her hand. Jihyo took it. The warmth comforted her, yet Sana's eyes did not meet hers.

In front of them was a tall pagoda, a height which Jihyo could not measure. She followed behind Sana’s sure footsteps, entering the temple behind her.

#

The throne room stood tall, its space vast and ceiling high. The space was illuminated by lanterns on every wall, the glow bright but not blinding.

At the center of a room was a throne taller than the Diving Rock, on which sat an elder man larger than any man Jihyo had ever seen. He wore sea-blue robes that flowed like the ocean, sea foam collecting by his feet in waves. On his head of white hair rested a ceremonial headpiece, and on his beard grew stems of coral. His presence compelled Jihyo to fall to her knees.

Beside her, Sana had already prostrated herself, head resting on her hands as she bowed. Jihyo followed her movements, wincing with the pain of her gash.

The Sea Dragon King spoke, his voice reverberating in the temple walls. "Stand."

With a push of her hands, Jihyo stood up, Sana standing beside her.

The Sea Dragon King turned to her, amber eyes betraying curiosity. "You are of the _saram_." He raised a hand, a ball of clear water forming in the air. Yongwang directed the water to Jihyo's shin, wrapping it around the gash. The sinews of her skin closed, healing, the water soothing the pain of her wound. It dispersed into the air.

Sana held Jihyo's arm, nudging her to speak.

"My sister is ill with a curse from the ocean," began Jihyo, bowing her head as she spoke. She kept her eyes on the feet of Yongwang. "Sana had brought me here that I may ask you for the cure. I am willing to pay for its price."

Yongwang grunted as he leaned back, hand over his chin as he raked his beard. "A mortal who can breathe underwater." He leaned forward, looming over Jihyo and Sana. "Perhaps, if you stay here in my temple forever, I will heal your sister and forgive your village of its atrocities."

The weight of his words sank on Jihyo's shoulders, crept under her skin frigid. She had left her mother alone in haste, confident in finding a cure for Jihan. Would her sisters be strong enough to fend for their mother if she were never to return? Jihyo found Sana’s gaze trained on her, worry fixed on her brow.

She turned to the Sea Dragon King. "I will do it," said Jihyo.

Sana turned to Jihyo, eyes wide. "Jihyo," she whispered, "do not be rash." Sana's grip on her arm tightened. The _in-eo_ stayed silent, eyes fixed on Yongwang. The god's eyes narrowed as he met her gaze. A smile crept on his face.

"It is settled." The Sea Dragon King stretched out his hand, with magic conjuring a seashell from the air. It caught the light of the lanterns, reflecting a blue sheen. "This shell, you must grind it and mix it into water for your sister to drink." It floated in the air, falling slowly into Jihyo's open hands. It weighed light and fit in the palm of her hand.

Sana turned to Jihyo, raising her hand. From the air she spun magic, conjuring a small pearl. The nacre was smooth and without blemish, glowing in the color of a small flame. She held it out to Jihyo, who took it.

Jihyo bowed before Yongwang, heart beating in her chest.

"You must swallow that pearl once your task is finished, to return to my temple." Yongwang grunted, a dark puff of smoke escaping his lips. "For eternity. Leave at once, and return at once."

Sana turned to her, eyes looking down, away. "You must return, Jihyo." In a wave of her hand, Jihyo's body weakened, falling to the floor.

#

There was a gentle song that stayed in Jihyo's dreams she floated to the surface of the ocean. It rode the ebbs of her consciousness, a lilting melody and heavy heart.

_Perhaps because your heart is pure  
Your duty you fulfill  
For calloused hands and gentle smile  
I sacrifice my will_

#

Jihyo woke on the seashore, hands clutching wet sand to her left and right. She sat up to the view of the moon over the ocean, waves lapping over her feet. Her clothes were heavy with seawater, stray patches of seaweed tangled in her limbs.

Over the horizon was the steady rumble of storm clouds, a message from Yongwang that she had no time to waste.

She fumbled as she searched the sand, sighing in relief once she found the seashell and the pearl. They glowed in her hands. She clutched them, pulling the seaweed from her feet.

With shaking legs she stood, running to her home.

#

In front of Jihyo's home was a crowd of older women, in their hands candles and lanterns of various shapes and sizes. Jihyo pushed through them, not caring that she was sopping wet. She entered her home.

Jihan lay on a cot, their mother wiping her body with a wet cloth. Beside her sat Jieun who held Jihyeon in her arms. The shaman stood before them, her red robes and painted face, as she rang a bell and chanted in strange tongues.

Jieun screamed when she saw Jihyo, placing Jihyeon down to run into her arms. "Wait, your sister is wet," said Jihyo as she embraced her younger sister. In an instant Jieun fell into heavy sobs as she clutched Jihyo's shirt, small body shaking with the effort. Jihyeon followed her older sister, clinging onto Jihyo's leg.

"Jihyo!" Jihyo's mother stood from where she knelt, embracing Jihyo and clutching her face. "You are alive."

Jihyo basked in the embrace before pulling away. "How long had I been gone, mother?" Jieun continued to sob into her chest.

"Three days." Jihyo's mother let go, rushing to the wooden box by their cots. She pulled out a cloth, returning to Jihyo to wrap it around her shoulders. "Where have you been?"

"Had it been three days?" It was only this afternoon that she had braced the storm to search for Sana. Jihyo took the cloth around her shoulders, hands shaking. "Mother, I need a bowl of water." She rushed inside, paying no mind to the shaman. From the woven box by their cots she took a small millstone for seeds, immediately grinding the blue seashell in it.

Her mother had listened, taking a bowl outside to fill with water. By the time she had returned, Jihyo had ground the blue seashell into fine dust. She poured it into the bowl, watching as the blue powder swirled and dissolved into the water. She brought the bowl to her sister.

"Jihan," whispered Jihyo as she knelt beside her sister. Jihan's skin was feverish and sweaty, the younger girl struggling to open her eyes. Jihyo propped her up to pour the mixture into her mouth.

"You are mad," said the shaman, "poisoning your sister with unworldly concoctions." She continued to ring a bell over the skin of Jihan. "Yongwang has cursed your family for good reason."

"You do not know anything, shaman," Jihyo hissed, pushing the bell away with the back of her hand. "Yongwang had not answered you, your prayers do not work." She set the bowl down, sitting Jihan up and rubbing her back.

The shaman stood, mouth agape. "This will not go unnoticed," she growled, dusting her robes. "You have disrespected me, thus disrespected Yongwang. Cursed child."

The old hag turned, plowing through the crowd outside of the doorway. The crowd of older women followed in her wake, the lights of lanterns and candles leaving the front of their house.

Within moments of swallowing the mixture, Jihan's temperature had dropped, the sticky sheen of her skin fading away. She sat up beside Jihyo, clutching her head. "Eonni," said Jihan, "I do not feel sick anymore." She fell into Jihyo's arms, head resting on her sister's shoulders.

"Jihyo," her mother knelt beside her by Jihan's cot, "what happened?" She felt the forehead of Jihan with the back of her hand, measuring it against her own skin. Jieun and Jihyeon approached the cot, sitting by Jihan's feet. They waited for Jihyo to speak.

"Mother," said Jihyo, "I visited the temple of the Sea Dragon King." She opened her palm, revealing the pearl from the temple. It shined in the candlelight, glowing as the setting sun. "I had made a deal with Yongwang to heal Jihan, in exchange for my life."

Jihyo's mother put a hand over her mouth, eyes wide with realization. She took Jihyo into her arms, pressing her daughter's head over her heart. "To lose you so soon, for good." She began to sob, hot tears falling into Jihyo's hair. "Thank you."

Jihyo cried into her mother's chest.


	5. V

#

"You met one of the _in-eo_?" asked Jihyo's mother in the darkness.

"Yes," replied Jihyo. Her younger sisters had already fallen asleep in the cots between her and her mother. The candles had been put out, yet Jihyo and her mother stayed awake. It was the last night she had with her family. "It was as the stories told, beautiful women with fish tails who drowned men at sea."

"But Sana, she spared you." The mother reached out to Jihyo, a hand gentle on her eldest daughter's face. "She had brought you to Yongwang for your sister's sake."

"Yes." Jihyo strained her ears, listening to the waves of the ocean. There was no song murmuring over the surface of the water, no melody in the tides. "Sana is at the temple now, waiting for me to return once I swallow this pearl."

Jihyo turned, laying on her back. The ceiling of their home was low, small yet comforting. "The temple was so huge, mother. Lanterns with a ghostly yellow light, a ceiling taller than my eyes can fathom."

"Must you return?" asked the mother, without desperation or fear. They both knew the rules of the ocean after all.

Jihyo thought of Sana, of how much she had done for her. That was not the only reason for her to return.

"I love you all," said Jihyo, "and I will find a way to return to you. But I wish to see her again."

Her mother smiled, visible despite the lack of light. They fell asleep face to face.

#

Jihyo woke up to the sound of clamor, her hand clutching the pearl. It was still dark outside. She sat up on her cot, looking towards the doorway. Through the woven walls moved the silhouettes of angry frames, torches and lanterns illuminating the outside of their home.

"Mother," called Jihyo, panic rising in her chest. She reached over her sisters to shake her mother awake. "Mother!"

Jihyo's mother sat up, alert, reaching over to wake up her daughters. Her eyes grew wide at the sight of the torches.

"Seize them!" shrieked the shaman from outside their home. The bamboo frame of their door fell down, a throng of angry men barging in. Hands grabbed Jihyo and her family, dragging them out of their home.

"Wretched, cursed family!" shrieked the shaman from outside. Two men pulled Jihyo by the wrists as she struggled to wrench her hands free. She clenched her fists, the pearl pressing into the palm of her hand.

Despite the darkness Jihyo could see the storm loom over the ocean. It approached their village with intensity.

Jihyo was pushed to kneel in front of the shaman, sand and gravel scraping her skin. "Open her hands!" commanded the shaman. The men who had dragged her pried open her hands, taking the pearl out of her grasp. The shaman took it, lifting it in the air to study it. She turned to the crowd.

"This woman has brought misfortune to our village!" she announced, brandishing the pearl. "She is in possession of the heart of _in-eo_ , having murdered one to obtain unnatural powers." The crowed clamored in response, torches rising with their voices.

Jihyo shouted, throat raw. "You lie! You are no shaman of Yongwang!" She pulled against the tight grip of the men, twisting her hands to no avail. She pleaded to the crowd. "Let me have the pearl! I will save us from the storm!"

Angry shouts echoed in the crowd, lanterns and torches raised and shaking in the air. "Throw her into the sea!" called one of the men, a close friend of her father's. "Throw them all into the sea!" yelled the woman who taught her how to scrape clams off the stones of the Diving Rock. "Yongwang has sent a storm our way because of what they have done!"

Beside Jihyo knelt her sisters Jihan and Jieun, their mother with Jihyeon in her arms. Heavy hands shoved them and dragged them, pulling them towards the cliff by the sea. To be thrown at the whims of a false shaman.

Jihyo turned to see the pearl in the shaman's hands before being pushed forward.

#

The storm had fallen over the cliff.

Jihyo stood on the cliff's edge, the heavy winds and harsh rains battering her light frame. Beneath her roared the ocean, waves slamming into the scraggly rocks below. Beside her was her family, her mother standing in front of her sisters.

"Jump!" commanded the shaman, bell ringing over the harsh rains. "Yongwang demands a sacrifice. Starting with you!" She moved forward, about to grab Jihyeon by the arm.

Jihyo jolted, tackling the shaman by the waist, slamming her to the ground. She moved blindly, grabbing at the shaman's hands until she found the pearl. The shaman screeched, scratching the skin of Jihyo's neck and arms as she fought for the pearl. Thunder crackled overhead.

"You old hag!" she yelled, batting away the flailing limbs of the shaman. "You are dooming us all!" She pushed herself off the shaman, then stood before the crowd. The angry shouts of the crowd had stilled into murmurs amidst the heavy pouring of the rain, with only the shaman left shrieking curses at her.

Jihyo turned to her mother, seeing her arms wrapped around the shivering bodies of her sisters. Then she swallowed the pearl.

#

There was a thrumming of power in Jihyo's hands, glowing in the color of the sunset. The harsh rain stilled, suspended in the air, before coming together in between Jihyo and the crowd. From the rainwater formed a woman of flesh and bone. Magic dressed her in royal garb, her sunset hair in a braid of pearls and shells. Amber eyes opened to face Jihyo.

"You swallowed the heart," said Sana, with tears in her eyes.

The rain fell once again, drenching the _in-eo_ from head to foot. She approached Jihyo with quick steps. “What happened?” she asked, tracing the scratches on Jihyo’s neck.

“Why are you here?” asked Jihyo. “Was I not supposed to return to the sea? What of the storm?”

The crowd that was silent at Sana’s arrival began to stir. “A demon in red!” exclaimed one fisherman, “it is the _in-eo_!”

Sana turned to the crowd, lifting a hand towards them. Then she sang.

The song followed the harsh drums of the rain, the rumblings of thunder. It thudded inside Jihyo’s lungs, pulled at the corners of her mind. The crowd gasped, a number of the fisherfolk kneeling and clutching their chests in pain.

The shaman screeched, her body convulsing. She clutched at her throat, eyes wide with panic. Her skin paled, lips turning blue.

“Enough!” Jihyo begged, clutching Sana’s arm. “Spare them, please!”

Without question, Sana stopped her song and dropped her hand. The effect was immediate, the shaman falling onto her knees. The other fisherfolk crowded around, murmurs of fear echoing through them.

Sana addressed the shaman. “You have fooled them long enough, wretched _saram_. Count yourself blessed to be able to breathe once more.” She turned to the crowd. “Leave us, and take the shaman away. She is no servant of Yongwang.”

The crowd spoke among themselves before taking the shaman by her arms and legs, dragging her away from the cliff. She pulled and kicked, screaming,

With relief, Jihyo sank to the ground. Her mother ran to her, embracing her in the rain, followed by Jihan, Jieun, and Jihyeon. Jihyo pulled the youngest into her arms, holding her close to her chest.

Jihyo looked up at Sana, the rain pouring on them both. Sana was beautiful with the halo of the rain and the light of the thunderstorm behind her. “We must stop the storm, Sana. Take me to Yongwang.”

Sana shook her head. “You have done your part, Jihyo.”

“What do you mean?” asked Jihyo.

Sana’s eyes were unreadable. “I had bargained with Yongwang that you would swallow the pearl. He did not believe that you could sacrifice yourself.” She looked at her hands. “This will be my final gift to you.”

Sana glowed with the pale-yellow light of the temple. “Goodbye, Jihyo,” she said with a smile.

A stone dropped in Jihyo’s stomach, harsh realization striking her. “No!” she yelled, letting go of her sister to grab for Sana’s arm. But it was too late -- Sana’s form dispersed into flecks of light.

The rain bore down on their shoulders, pouring into the ocean with angry thrums. Jihyo turned to her mother, her sisters. Jihan nodded at her, and in that moment Jihyo saw herself in her sister's eyes, fourteen years old yet resolute.

Jihyo kissed her mother's cheek before jumping off the cliff.

#

The sea engulfed her.

It was a miracle that the scraggly rocks had barely brushed her. Jihyo opened her eyes to the darkness, the cold. Consciously, she exhaled, the bubbles leaving her mouth, floating towards the surface. Her reflex kicked in, chest tightening until it was too much. _Breathe, Jihyo, breathe._

The coldness of the water entered her mouth, her lungs. She repeated it until her pulse slowed and mind cleared. She had to find Sana.

Jihyo swam through the water, searching for the pale light of the temple. There was the sensation of a string pulling her deeper in, connecting her to Sana. Without question she followed it, arms and legs straining against the drag of the water.

The waters of the ocean moved, propelling her forward, cradling her from all sides. _Hurry_ , felt Jihyo from the water as its currents carried her to Sana faster than she could swim. Jihyo followed the current, directed it with the tug on her heart. She felt in it desperation that echoed her own.

Soon the temple approached, the pale yellow of its light growing brighter with every moment. Jihyo aimed straight for the gate, propelled by the current.

She burst through the temple gate, landing into the empty courtyard. She fell in, shoulder landing on the sand as she rolled to a stop. The pale glow of the lanterns cast shadows in the sand, malevolent as Jihyo stood and ran. The only sound came from her heartbeat and the crunching of the sand beneath her feet. She ran through the heavenly gate, the coldness of the air heavy on her body.

The tall pagoda approached, and Jihyo stumbled as she climbed the steps. She ran into the throne room, the pull on her heart stronger and stronger.

She found Sana then, met her amber eyes as the _in-eo_ turned away from the Sea Dragon King. Sana's eyes grew wide with shock, a hand reaching for Jihyo before her form dispersed into empty bubbles.

Jihyo dropped to her knees, the figure of the Sea Dragon King looming over her. Yongwang stared at her, unblinking, shaking his head. There was nothing that could be done.

With a wave of his hand Jihyo fell into water below her feet. She did not fight it, floating in the cold and dark, drifting. The ocean had caressed her then, her tears mixing in the salt water as the ocean brought her back to the shore of the village.

#

It had been days since Jihyo had seen the ocean.

She sat on her cot, hands weaving a basket out of reeds. The morning light filtered through the window. It had been a long time since Jihyo saw her home in daylight.

There was no need for her to fish. The shaman had fled the village, leaving behind a storehouse of gold and goods distributed among the fisherfolk. With the help of the elders, a new shaman was chosen. Since then the storms have been more gentle, the fish more abundant. Jihan and their mother had paid an early morning visit to the temple, leaving Jihyo to watch over Jieun and Jihyeon. The two girls played by the doorway with wooden toys, Jieun growling as she pretended to be the shaman-monster.

There was an emptiness in the sound of the waves that Jihyo heard through the window. Her heart beat in a dull thud, incomplete. Her hands moved over the reeds, mind finding its way to sunset hair and tender hands.

Jihan entered the home, carrying with her a basket of new rope and cloth. Jihyo's mother followed, standing by the doorway. "Jihyo," she called, "come with me."

Jihyo set her basket down. "Where to?"

"Walk with me to the seashore," said her mother. Shoulders slumped, Jihyo went to her, holding her hand before they left the house.

#

They walked side by side, their footprints trailing behind them in the sand.

"When I lost your father," Jihyo's mother began, "I could not bear to face the ocean." The morning sun shimmered on the surface of the water, the breeze warm on Jihyo's skin. The waves crept on the shore, then receded. Wet sand caked their feet.

"You were so strong, Jihyo, how you returned to the ocean when I could not." Jihyo's mother stopped, turning to face the sea. Jihyo stood beside her. "But as time passed, I realized that the ocean had protected you, always brought you back. As if it was atoning for what it had done to us." The sun was warm on Jihyo's face, water cool on her feet. "Your father had become a part of the ocean."

Jihyo watched the horizon. There was a dull pull on her heart towards it. "Do you miss him?"

"Always," replied her mother.

In silence, they walked back to their home.

#

Jihyo lay on her cot, staring at the ceiling. It was difficult for her to sleep, knowing that empty dreams would greet her. She shifted, laying on her side. Beside her Jihan slept, arms draped around Jieun and Jiheyon. On the other side lay her mother.

Since when had Jihan grown so big? She matched Jihyo in height, tall despite her age, face and body maturing. Jihan was only a child, but her hands were calloused and skin weathered already. Jihyo brushed the hair off her face before shifting once more on her back. She closed her eyes to sleep.

The ghost of a melody crept from the ocean, lifting through the window. Jihyo opened her eyes, straining her ears. Was she hearing things? Her heart stirred faintly. She shifted to lay down and sleep, but the melody continued, muted but unmistakable.

Whether or not it was a delusion, Jihyo could not ignore it. She sat up, careful not to wake her sisters, and stood. Her heart began to beat faster, a tugging sensation calling it towards the ocean. She crept across the room, pulling the bamboo door closed before heading to the shoreline.

There it was, the melody growing stronger as Jihyo neared the sea. From slow steps, Jihyo sped up, following its pull. Her heartbeat echoed in her eardrums, hope and anticipation building up. The shoreline opened to her, moonlight gleaming over the surface of the water, as she neared it. The pull on her heart was stronger now, the ocean lapping at her feet as if telling her to enter.

Jihyo paused, feet in the water, before stepping back. Her heart ached, but where was she heading? She had seen it for herself that Sana was gone. There was no point.

But the ocean knew her thoughts -- a wave bigger than the others pulled at her feet, dropping her into the water. She fell in, submerged to her shoulders, hands clenching the sand beneath her.

The waves washed over her, this time as if coaxing her to enter. The pull on her heart was stronger now, the melody more certain. There was something calling to her deeper in the ocean.

Without thought, Jihyo submerged herself in the ocean, breathing it in. She swam towards the melody, the tug at her heart, the ocean bringing speed to her arms and legs. She went, deeper and deeper into the ocean, until the moonlight no longer filtered through the water.

Jihyo found herself drifting weightless in the depths of the ocean. The vast coldness and darkness of the water could not drown the anticipation building in her chest. The melody filled her mind, the call on her heart pulling her in all directions. It overwhelmed her senses.

 _Pull_ , the ocean called. And Jihyo understood.

She pulled with her heart from all four corners of the sea. With her will she called, beckoned, tugged at the parts of Sana she knew lay scattered in its depths. Sana who accompanied her as she fished, who filled her evenings with dreams. Sana whose voice lilted in the wind, whose hands fit so well in her own. Sana who she wanted to see again.

Her hands hummed with magic, glowing in a fiery light. Pull, pull, she told herself. Sana is waiting. Her smile warmer than sunlight. With a final tug, a sensation gripped her chest and pulled, ripped off.

The water swirled before her, taking form. It grew, taking the shape of a woman. From the water formed bone and flesh, a golden carp-tail, sunset hair a halo around her face. Eyes, no longer amber but a deep brown, opened to meet hers, gentle fingers touching Jihyo's palms before entwining their hands together.

 _You saved me_ , said Sana.

Jihyo caressed her face, knowing that Sana was there with her. _How?_

 _You gave me a part of yourself_ , said Sana, _and made me whole again._

#

At eighteen, Jihyo left her family.

The sun was rising over the horizon as Jihyo embraced her mother. "I will be back," she said patting the heads of Jieun and Jihyeon as they cried into her clothes.

Jihan pulled them away from her, laughing. "She will come back, Sana will take care of her." She moved to embrace Jihyo. "Thank you, eonni," she said, "for caring for us all this time." 

Jihyo mussed her sister's hair. "You grew up well." With one final kiss on her mother's cheek, Jihyo bowed and walked away.

Sana waited for her by the shoreline, clothed in her mother's spare garments. Her hair stood out against the dawn of the ocean, the light catching in its outline. Sand did not stick to her feet. "Come into the water with me!" she called.

Jihyo ran to her, laughter trailing in the sea breeze. She grabbed her hand, pulling them both into the sea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact: Il-bon comes from the characters 日本 which means "land where the sun rises" . It's pronounced ni-hon in Japan but il-bon in Korea (drawing from the chinese pronunciation is my guess)
> 
> thank you to three people:  
> ana who is always the first to receive the final edition, you remind me of why i love to write  
> a rug who gave me great seeds of ideas, one of which is a scene I loved so much  
> my IRL beta who plowed through this with me, you made this work shine and could not have done this without you
> 
> Thank you for reading all the way to the end. I hope it is to your liking.


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